MY BOOK

The Sun's Special Blessing is my first published book, a children's picture book (Pitspopany, 2009.) 

Though it has a Jewish theme at its heart, it has universal themes of memory, ancestry, ritual, pop culture, and wonder at what the future may hold.

The protagonist, Talia, is a third grader at a Jewish Day School. She is about to learn a Jewish prayer recited for the sun. The prayer called, "Birkat HaChamah" - the blessing for the sun- is a lesser known prayer, and part of the Jewish life-cycle.

Talia and her classmates have a unique adventure at school! They learn about their teacher's experience in 1981 when as a student in the very same school, he and his own classmates buried a time capsule in the school yard. Students digging in 2009, reveal that past era's secular and religious culture buried and mysteriously waiting to be unearthed. A lively discussion ensues about the 28 year cycle of the prayer, learn the short prayer itself, and why it exists; next the students marvel over the 'cool stuff' in the time capsule- what was popular when their teacher was their age.

Together, students agree to create a new time capsule, which will contain secular and religious objects from their own generation. The new time capsule will be buried for 'children of the future,' to ponder, in 2037, when the prayer will next be recited. Papercut illustrations by Ann D. Koffsky, add warmth and imagination to the story.

Contact the author for copies of the book: sandyfw@gmail.com